security perspective:
https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/crime/124566434/christchurch-teen-who-plotted-
terrorstyle-attack-no-longer-deemed-a-public-risk
This past experience has helped informed the need for New Zealand to establish
a formal disengagement programme, with appropriate resources to deliver
appropriate, coordinated, supportive interventions which consider the person of
concern’s culture, environment, background, risk, needs, responsivity and
circumstances.
In December 2020, the Prime Minister of New Zealand announced MACIP as one
of the Government’s immediate commitments following release of the Royal
Commission of Inquiry into the terrorist attack on Christchurch Masjidain on 15
March 2019’. With this announcement, MACIP received funding to enable design,
development, and implementation of the programme, with the first year of funding
becoming available on 1 July 2021.
New Zealand Police is leading the development of MACIP, along with agency
representatives from the Ministries of Health, Social Development, Education,
Oranga Tamariki, Department of Corrections and the New Zealand Security
Intelligence Service.
Workshops with the government agencies involved have commenced during
2021 to generate content to inform the drafting of core business documents
which will inform the future delivery of the programme. At this time, business
documents are still in production and being drafted.
For this reason, draft decision-making processes around development of the
programme cannot be released and are withheld under the following grounds:
• section 9(2)(g)(i) of the OIA, in order to maintain the effective conduct of
public affairs through the free and frank expression of opinions by or
between or to Ministers of the Crown or members of an organisation of
officers and employees of and Department or organisation in the course
of their duty
• section 6(c) of the OIA, as the making available of the information is likely
to prejudice the maintenance of the law including the prevention,
investigation and detection of offences and the right to a fair trial.
While these draft documents are unable to be released, please find attached
three documents which Police can share. These are:
• a one pager prepared for ‘He Whenua Taurikura’ – New Zealand’s Hui on
Countering Terrorism and Violent Extremism, held in Ōtautahi,
Christchurch, 15-16 June 2021
• a powerpoint presentation prepared to update New Zealand’s Countering
Terrorism Coordination Committee, which is chaired by the Department of
Prime Minster and Cabinet, dated July 2021
• a project one pager also prepared for the above committee, dated June
2021.
Please note that it has been necessary to withhold some information from these
documents under section 6(c) of the OIA, as the making available of the
information is likely to prejudice the maintenance of the law including the
prevention, investigation and detection of offences and the right to a fair trial. You
will note these documents also reference the new name for MACIP, He Aranga
Ake (to emerge, to arise, to become visible).
Finally, as you will be aware, Police partially transferred your request to the
Minister of Police on 13 August 2021. You will receive a response from the
Minister in due course, which will cover the ministerial briefings Police have
prepared on the MACIP, He Aranga Ake project to date.
I trust that this information will be of use to you. You have the right to ask the
Ombudsman to review my decision if you are not satisfied with my response to
your request.
Yours sincerely
Fleur de Bes
Inspector
New Zealand Police
